Pam Grier Biography

Pam Grier is a popular American actress who came to limelight after starring in numerous blaxploitation films. Check out this biography to know about her childhood, family life, achievements and other facts about her life.

Pamela Suzette Grier, popularly known as Pam Grier, is an American actress, who came to limelight after starring in numerous blaxploitation films, such as ‘The Big Bird Cage’, ‘Coffy’, ‘Foxy Brown’ and ‘Sheba Baby’. Criticized for her blaxploitation roles, she made a comeback with Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Jackie Brown’ and received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance. Pam Grier was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and because of her father’s military career; her family moved frequently during her childhood and eventually settled in Denver. She studied at East High School and dreamed of becoming a doctor. She acted in a number of stage productions and participated in beauty contests to raise funds for her college tuition. Apart from ‘Jackie Brown’, Grier has given a number of mainstream blockbusters, such as ‘Fort Apache, The Bronx’ and ‘Above the Law’. She has never been married and has been romantically involved with basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and comedian Richard Pryor. Pam Grier received her Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and received an Honorary Doctorate of Science from Langston University.

Pam Grier was born on May 26, 1949 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to Gwendolyn Sylvia, a homemaker and a nurse, and Clarence Ransom Grier, Jr., Technical Sergeant in the United States Air Force. She has one sister and one brother.

Due to the military career of her father, she lived in England and various other places during her childhood and finally settled in Denver. She was raped at the age of six at her aunt’s house.

Pam Grier did his schooling from the East High School in Denver Grier and dreamed of becoming a doctor.

She attended the Metropolitan State College at Denver and appeared in a number of stage productions and beauty contests to raise money for her college education.

Pam Grier started working as a receptionist at American International Pictures (AIP) in Los Angeles, California. She made her film debut with a brief role in the 1970 movie ‘Beyond the Valley of the Dolls’.

Director Jake Hill discovered her talent and gave her starring roles in his women in prison films: ‘The Big Doll House’ (1971) and ‘The Big Bird Cage’ (1972). She also starred in ‘Black Mama White Mama’ and ‘Scream Blacula Scream’ in 1973.

Pam Grier began her journey of blaxploitation movies in 1970s with Jack Hill’s ‘Coffy’ in 1973. She played similar characters in ‘Foxy Brown’ (1974), ‘Sheba, Baby’ (1975) and ‘Friday Foster’ (1975).

With the demise of blaxploitation, Pam appeared in smaller roles in ‘Drum’ (1976), ‘Greased Lightning’ (1977) and ‘Twilight of Love’ (1977).

She then played larger characters in mainstream blockbusters ‘Fort Apache, The Bronx’ in 1981 and ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’ in 1983.

Pam Grier starred in ‘Tough Enough’ (1983), ‘The Vindicator’ (1984), ‘Badge of the Assassin’ (1985) and ‘Stand Alone’ (1985). She had a recurring role in the TV series ‘Miami Vice’ from 1985-1990 and in ‘Crime Story’ from 1986 to 1988.

She played the role of Steven Seagal’s detective patner in ‘Above the Law’ (1988). Grier acted in ‘The Package’ (1989), ‘Class of 1999’ (1990), ‘Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey’ (1991) and ‘Posse’ (1993).

Pam Grier is best known for her performance in Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Jackie Brown’ in 1997. She received San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress and Golden Globe nomination for her performance.

Her work in the comedy series ‘Linc’s’ (1999) and in the television special ‘3 A.M.’ (2000) was also widely appreciated.

Her supporting act in the drama series ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’ and ‘The L Word’ was also critically acclaimed.

Pam Grier dated basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar from 1970 to 1973 and comedian Richard Pryor from 1975 to 78. She was engaged to music executive Kevin Evans in 1998 but the engagement ended in 1999.

She dated marketing executive Peter Hempel from 2000 to 2008. She currently lives in Colorado.